Isaiah 36:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Rapsacus dismissed this wisdom, asserting that it would not benefit those who initiated the conflict, insisting that mere knowledge of the law was insufficient; he implied it served only as empty advice. Given that some rulers in Judah had unlawfully sought aid from Egypt, the Assyrian inferred that Hezekiah was not placing his faith in God, but rather in foreign powers, particularly the leaders of Egypt. This is why he referred to Egypt as a reed, declaring that reliance on them was always misleading and detrimental, much like trusting in a reed that, if leaned upon, would break and harm the one who depended on it.

Rabshak's declaration stands as a witness against Hezekiah, who, after capturing all the cities of Judah, placed his trust in the Lord and reassured the people, "Do not fear or be dismayed by the king of Assyria, for there are greater powers with us. Though he possesses earthly strength, we have the Lord our God with us, who is our helper and who fights on our behalf." The people found encouragement in Hezekiah's words. Consequently, Rabshak endeavored to dismantle Hezekiah's influence, telling the people, "Do not let Hezekiah mislead you or give you hope in the Lord God."

In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah's reign, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. Sending Rabshak from Lachish to Jerusalem, he arrived with a powerful army, halting by the water reservoir of the upper pool near the field where they plastered. Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator, along with Shebna the scribe and Joah, son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to meet him. Rabshak told them, Relay this message to Hezekiah: What is this hope in which you trust? By what counsel and strength do you plan to wage war again? In whom do you place your confidence, to turn away from me? You rely on this broken reed of Egypt, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it; such is Pharaoh, king of Egypt, for all who trust in him. And if you say to me, "We put our trust in the Lord our God," is this not the same God whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, commanding Judah and Jerusalem to worship only at this altar? Now, submit to the king of Assyria, and I will provide you with two thousand horses, of which you will find no riders. How will you contend with even the least of my lord’s servants? If you trust in Egypt and its chariots and horsemen, did I come here without the Lord’s directive to invade this land? The Lord told me, "Go, invade this land and destroy it." The account is clear; the books of Kings recount how, during the third year of Uzziah, son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, became king of Judah at the age of twenty-five and reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. He did what was right in the Lord’s eyes, following the example of his ancestor David. In his trust of the God of Israel, no king before or after him was like Hezekiah. He remained devoted to the Lord, did not stray from His commands, and kept the commandments given to Moses. The Lord was with him, and He prospered all that he undertook. He stood firm against the king of Assyria and was not defeated.

In the sixth year of Hezekiah's reign, Salmanassar, king of Assyria, captured Samaria and deported the ten tribes. Seven years later, in Hezekiah’s fourteenth year, Sennacherib besieged the fortified cities of Judah. As he besieged Lachish, Hezekiah sent messengers to him, saying, “You have sinned against me; return from me, and I will bear any charges.” After paying three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold, as commanded by the king, he broke down the doors of the Lord’s temple and took away its gold; then the Assyrian king sent Tartan and Rabshak from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. Coming to Jerusalem, they stopped at the conduit of the upper pool, near the plastering field, and called for the king. Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Joah, son of Asaph, the recorder, met with them. Rabshak told them, say this to Hezekiah: The great king of Assyria says… Note Rabshak’s arrogance, imitating the prophets’ manner of speaking, saying, "Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria."

Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, had previously been referenced in the vision of Zion, where it was proclaimed that he would be entrusted with the authority over the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah. According to Jewish tradition, Eliakim, fearing Rabshak's threats, surrendered to the Assyrians and yielded much of Jerusalem to their forces, leaving only the fortress of Zion and the temple intact. There is a misconception regarding Shebna, who confronted Rabshak alongside Eliakim and Joah; this Shebna is identified as a scribe, distinct from the captain of the temple mentioned earlier. Rabshak, who spoke the Hebrew language, is thought by some Jews to have been a traitor, supposedly the son of the prophet Isaiah; another son of Isaiah was named Jasub, meaning forsaken. Others suggest he may have been of Samaritan origin, explaining his knowledge of Hebrew and his bold blasphemy against the Lord.

It’s imperative to consider Rabshak's words; his claim that "You rely on this broken reed, Egypt," is unfounded, for no records indicate that Hezekiah sought assistance from the Egyptians. Yet he further asserted, if you respond, "We trust in the Lord God of heaven," he intertwines lies with truth, highlighting Hezekiah’s removal of the high places and altars—actions taken for God’s glory, aiming to eradicate idolatry and establish worship in Jerusalem, where the temple resided. Although the people had fallen into the old habit of erecting altars in the hills, Hezekiah sought to address this transgression. Furthermore, Rabshak’s boast of offering two thousand horses for which Hezekiah would find no riders reflects not the weakness of Judah, but adherence to God’s commandments regarding kings, which prohibit multiplication of horses or wives.

His taunts question how Hezekiah could stand against the might of Assyria when he struggles against even the smallest of its servants. Yet, when addressing the messengers, Rabshak cunningly claims to act under divine direction: “The Lord told me to invade and destroy”—implying he came with the Lord's consent. Evidence is found that he would not have entered that land without God’s decree, as demonstrated by his conquests. Some interpretations incorrectly assert that Sennacherib took Samaria; in fact, sacred history records that previous Assyrian kings invaded the ten tribes, including Ful, Salmanassar, and others before Sennacherib besieged Jerusalem.